Hand starting device for internal combustion engines



May 23, 1933. R J FRY I 1,911,113

HAND STARTING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Nov. 25, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l #7 15. KJ'JZ May 23, 1933. R. J. FRY 1,911,113

HAND STARTING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Nov. 25, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 liver/27a Jffy.

Patented May 23, 1933 UNITEE) fit'l fihlii @FFICE RICHARD JOE-TN FRY, 01 ALEXANBRIA, NEAR SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES,

AUSTRALIA HAND STARTING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Application filed November 25, 1930, Serial No. 498,120, and. in Australia December 2, 1929.

This invention relates to an improved hand device for starting motor-vehicle engines and other internal combustion engines.

lVith the ordinary crank handle that is frequently used for starting motor-vehicle engines, injury is oftentimes caused to the arm or hand ofthe operator through the engine back-firing. The principal object of my invention is to provide a hand starting device having means whereby risk of injury to the operator through back-firing of the engine is eliminated.

Basically, the improved starting device comprises a hand lever, a member adapted to be coupled to the end of the engine crankshaft, and means connecting said hand lever to the member to enable the latter to be rotated thereby, said means functioning to automatically disconnect the hand lever when said member rotates in the reverse direction through back-firing of the engine.

.Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of one form of the improved starting device. 7

Figure 2 is a side view .of lligure 1.

Figure 3 is a view illus rating the action of the device during the back-firing of the engine.

Figure -1- shows a modified form of the invention.

Figure is a side view of Figure l.

Figure 6 is a front view showing a further modification.

Figure 7 is a detail view of the pawl. seen in Figures 1 to 6.

Figure 8 is a section on line AP of Figure 7.

Referring initially to Figures 1 to 3, the improved starting device comprises a hand lever 1 having asuitable turning handle 2 at its upper end. The lower portion of said hand lever 1 is bifurcated at 3 and is supported freely on a short horizontal shaft 4:. which at its innc' end has the usual dog clutch 5 to engage the front starting end of the engine crankshaft or crankshaft extension.

Mounted within the bifurcated portion of the hand lever 1 is a toggle-jointedpawl 6 comprising an upper lever 7 pivoted at 8 to the hand lever, and a pawl 9 pivoted at 10 to the lower end of said lever 7. A leaf spring 11 has one end anchored against a pin 12 on the hand lever 1, while its lower end bears against the pivoted pawl 9. r This spring serves to maintain the pawl in engagement with a notch 13 in a collar 14; which is rigidly fitted onto the shaft 4 and positioned within the bifurcated lower portion of the hand lever 1. A handle 15 is provided on the upper end of the toggle-jointed pawl 6 to enable the pawl 9 to be manually engaged with the notch 13 in the collar 14.

Mounted loosely on the shaft 4 rearwardly of the hand lever 1 is a ratchet wheel 16 en- 65 gaged by a spring pressed pawl 17 secured to a rigid bar 18 or other suitable rigid member of the motor-vehicle chassis. The ratchet wheel 16 is fitted with an abutment 19 adapted to engage the side of the hand lever 1. Said abutment is formed with a finger or projection 20 which extends through the bifurcated portion 6 of the hand lever and engages the toggle-jointed pawl 6 at the point adjacent to the pivot 10. The length of the finger or projection 20 allows the centre line of the pivot 10 to travel slightly cyond the line of the pivot 8 and engaging point of the pawl 9, but functions to automatically trip said toggle-jointed pawl should the hand lever 1 tend to move in the reverse direction.

A pin 21 attached. to the ratchet wheel16 engages the side of the hand lever 1 which is opposite to the abutment 19. Said pin 21 and abutment 19 serve to connect the ratchet wheel 16 and hand lever 1 so that they can be rotated together the hand lever 1, however, bcing capable of limited independent movement relative to the ratchet wheel.

When the device is in use, the parts are normally in the position shown in Figure 1 and the dog clutch 5 on the end of the shaft 1 is in engagement with the end of the engine crankshaft or crankshaft extension. The pawl 9 is in engagement with the notch 13 of the collar 14, and the toggle-jointed pawl 6 is in toggle-locked positi0'n. To start the engine, the hand lever 1 is rotated in the direction of the arrow 22 and the movement is transmitted to the collar 14 and shaft 5 through the toggle-jointed pawl 6.

\Vhile the device being rotated in the starting direction, the hand lever 1 is in engagement with the pin 21, and a small space 23 is formed between the abutment 19 and the opposite side of the hand lever. This space enables the hand lever to move rearwardly to a limited extent in the event of the engine back-firing. The position of the parts during this action is shown in Figure When back-firing occurs, the collar 14: moves in the direction of the arrow 24: (Figure 3) and the hand lever is caused to move rearwardly to the limited extent permitted by the space into engagement with the abutment 19, This action results in the finger or projection 20 engaging the toggle-jointed pawl ,6, causing the latter to be tripped or moved outwardly as is shown in full lines in Figure 3. The lower pawl 9 is thus moved out of engagement with the notch 13 in the collar 14, leaving said collar free to move in the reverse direction under the action of the engine backfire. The ratchet wheel 16 is held against rotation by its spring-pressed pawl 17 and the hand lever 1 is thus maintained stationary so that no injury is caused to the hand or arm of the operator.

After the disengagement of the parts through. an engine back-fire, the pawl 9 may be again engaged with the notch 13 of the collar 14 by means of the handle 15.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Figures at and 5, the toggle-jointed pawl and the abutment unit 19 20 are omit ted and a speciallyconstructedpawl 25 shown in Figures 7 and 8 is used in lieu thereof. Said pawl 25 is formed from a circular rod and it is rotatably mounted at its ends in bearing holes formed in the bifurcated portion 3 of the hand-lever. The central portion .of the pawl is cut-away at 26 and flattened at 27 to form a pointed edge 28 which engages the notch 13 in the collar 14 on the shaft &. One end of the pawl 25 projects through the rear side of the hand lever 1 and is appropriately shaped to engage a curved slot 29 formed in the ratchet wheel 16. The other end of said pawl 25 has a handle 30 to enable the pawl to be manually engaged with the notch 13, and a pin 31 is provided adjacent to said handle to retain the pawl in correct position within the bifurcated end portion 3 of the hand lever.

Normally the pointed edge 23 of the pawl is in engagement with the notch 13 of the collar 14 and rotation of the hand lever 1 in the direction of the arrow 22 causes motion to be transmitted to the engine crankshaft. Should the engine back-lire, the hand lever 1 is moved rearwardly as shown in dotted lines in Figure 4:, and the pawl 25 is caused to move in the curved slot 29 in the ratchet wheel 16, such slot being so shaped as to immediately cause said pawl to move outwardly out of engagement with the notch 13 in said collar 14:. The collar is thus disconnected from the hand lever 1 and is free to move rearwardly under the action of the engine back-fire, while the hand lever 1 remains stationary and thus prevents injury being caused to the operator.

In the further modification shown in Figure 6, the ratchet wheel 16 has oppositely formed teeth and is rigidly secured to the chassis member 18. A plain disc .32 is mounted adjacent to the ratchet wheel 16 and carries a spring-pressed-pawl 33 engaging said ratchet wheel. A pin 34 is also provided on the disc 32 to engage the hand lever 1 and enable the two parts to be rotated together. The curved slot 29 in this construction is formed in the disc 32 instead of in the ratchet wheel and functions in similar manner to that previously described ,to automatically disengage the pawl. Should the engine backfire, the disc 32 is held stationary by the pawl 33 and the hand lever 1 moves rearwardly until the pawl is disengaged from the notch 13 in the collar 14L on the shaft 4:.

Yhat I do claim is j l. A hand starting device for internal combustion engines including a member having a notch therein and adapted to be removably connected to the crank shaft of the engine, a lever mounted for rotary movement on and with respect to said member, a manually controlled pawl carried by the lever and designed for cooperation with the notch formed in the member for .operatively connecting the lever and member, an element mounted for free rotation on the member, means for holding the element against movement in one direction while permitting, movement thereof in the opposite direction, and abutments carried by the element to limit free movement of the lever in both directions, one of said abutments cooperating with the pawl during relative movement of the lever and said abutment and to contact and .displace said pawl from the notch in the member.

2. A starting device for internal combustion engines including a member formed for connection with the crank shaft of the engine, a hand lever mountedon and for rotary movement relative to said member, a pawl carried by the hand lever to operatively connect the hand lever and member in the move.- ment of the hand lever in one direction, a "atchet wheel mounted for free rotation on the member, means for preventingmovement of the ratchet wheel in one direction while permitting free movementthereof in the .opposite direction, a projection on the ratchet wheel engaged by the lever to move the ratchvet wheel with the lever in the movement of the latter in crank shaft engine starting direc tion, and pawl engaging means controlled by the ratchet in the movement of the hand lever in the opposite direction, said pawl engaging means disconnecting the pawl and member to free the latter with despec't to the lever.

3. A starting device for internal combustion engines including a member formed for connection with the crank shaft of the engine, a hand lever mounted on and for rotary movement relative to said member, a pawl carried by the hand lever to operatively connect the hand lever and member in the movement of the hand lever in one direction, a ratchet Wheel mounted for free rotation on the member, means for preventing movement of the ratchet Wheel in one direction While permitting free movement thereof in the opposite direction, a projection on the ratchet wheel engaged by the lever to move the ratchet wheel with the lever in the movement of the latter in crank shaft engine starting direction, pawl engagingmeans controlled by the ratchet in the movement of the hand lever in the opposite direction, and a fin 'er piece for controlling pawl movement toward en aging cooperation with the member.

in testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

RICHARD JOHN FRY. 

